Monument association is nonprofit that was organized in the 1990s. Theis associated with organization of the same name that until it was transferred to the National Park service. The dma is dedicated to the preservation of grants tomb, the largest muzzling them in the western hemisphere. An important part of our mission is to Foster Foster education , our ulysses s. Grant nations 18th president. In recent years, we revised the tradition dating back to the 19th century to commemorate grants birthday with a dinner in new york city. The program each year has been an educational one highlighted ia, quite in which general david petronius interviews a historian about different aspects of grants story. Another annual tradition is the official commemoration of grants birthday at his tomb. An impressive ceremony organized by the National Parks service and west point. We are of the pandemic all experiencing, both events have been canceled but we thought it was important to recognize grant;s birt
Remembered for killing treasury secretary Alexander Hamilton in a duel. Recounting his political rise and downfall. This was recorded at the gallery of art in washington, d. C. In 201 2012. Thank you for having me back. Im delighted to speak here. I always like to speak in washington, where the audiences are well informed and engaged, but having just finished teaching a semester and for the year at the university of texas, im always delighted to speak to an audience of people who dont have to be here. There will be no test. I say this sincerely. Im very flattered that you took the time and took your evening to come listen to me. And i try to i think that my student, by and large, are interested in the subject but i know perfectly well that if they didnt have tests, if they didnt have papers, that they werent held accountable, then most of the seats would be empty. So none of you have to be here, but you did come. I find that to be very flattering. I could, i suppose, give you a test at
Property onoric spotsylvania battlefield in central virginia. He has worked as a historian for the National Park service and fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Parks. I am not crying. My eyes decided to water at an awkward moment. [laughter] sorry, chris. [laughter] [indiscernible] he was also a historian for the National Park service at fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park where he at four major battlefields. As well as the building where Stonewall Jackson died. Chris has authored or coauthored a dozen books on the civil war and his articles have appeared in all the major civil war magazines. He serves on the board of directors for the Virginia Battlefield trust as a National Advisor on the board for the civil war chaplains museum in lynchburg, virginia. Please help me to welcome him. [applause] dr. Mackowski you are going to see something rare, a Chris Mackowski powerpoint presentation. I know. The reason i am doing it is so i have an excuse to show e
Programmers. ,. A historian he has worked as a historian for the National Park service and Fredericksburg National Military Park. My eyes decided to water at an awkward moment. [laughter] sorry, chris. [laughter] he is also a historian for at National Park service Fredericksburg National Military Park where he gives stores at major battlefield. Major battlefields. Chris has authored or coauthored a dozen books on the civil war and his articles have appeared in all the major civil war magazines. He serves on the board of directors for the virginia trust. Welcomingn me in Chris Mackowski. [applause] im going to move through here. Thank you, sarah. [laughter] in november of 1879, mark twain was asked to give a speech at the reunion of the army in honor of ulysses as grant. A was the 15th speaker on long list of people offering accolades. He called it the perilous distinction. He said he was the last speaker on the list, and honor no person has ever sought. [laughter] you are going to see
Supposed to be a test at the end. The title of my talk on which i forgot until jamie just mentioned is the unknown aaron burr. Im going to tell you what i read a book about aaron burr. The title of my book is called the heartbreak of aaron burr. I cant tell you the whole story without giving away the ending. I dont want to give away the ending because its not just that i want you to buy the book and read the book and enjoy it and hang around till the end, but it has to do with the reason i wrote the book in the first place. This goes back to my experience of writing, my experience of reading and in particular, my experience of listening to a question that my mother has een put into me for the last 23 or 24 years. And the question i would get to in a moment. But it goes to the heart of why people wait and why people read. I teach history at the university of texas. I also teach writing. I teach writing to graduate students bear the graduate students in my writing seminar also completed